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JM MWTZ.

Feb, 1 1923 B. BOLLING, JR.

METHOD OF AND MEANS FOR SEPARATING GRANULA R MATERIAL.

5 SHEET SHEET l- HLED APR. 22.1921- LM,W7.

B. BOLLING, JR.

Feb. 13, 1923.

METHOD OF AND MEANS FOR SEPARATING GRANULAR MATERiAL.

5 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

FILED APR. 22,192]- agga's Qttozwegs.

B. BOLLING, JR.

Feb, 13, 1923.

METHOD OF AND MEANS FOR SEPABATING GRANULAR MATERIAL.

5 SHEETS-SHEET 3- HLED APR. 22, 1921- Feb. 18, 1923. LMSAIW B.- BOLLING,Jn.

METHOD OF AND MEANS FOR SEPARATING GRANULAR MATERIAL. FILED APR. 22|I921- 5 SHEETS-SHEET 4- Feb. 13, 1923.

B. BOLLING, Jn.

METHOD OF AND MEANS FOR SEPARATING GRANULAR MATERIAL. man APR.22. 1921.

MWW;

'5 SHEETS-SHEET 5.

sectional elevations taken on planes at. r

Patented Feb. 13,

BARTLETT BOlIlLIllilG, Ll Ell? UH METHOD OF .AJETD MEAIMZ FillApplication filed April To aZZ 107mm it may concern Be it lrnown that l,Bairrtnrr lion; no. Illa, a. citizen oi the United States, residiiCharlotte. in the county of il /techie ihnrp; and State of NorthCarolina, ha e invented certain new and useful linprovenients :7,

ods of and lilleans tor lrlcparatinp; Material, oi. which the following;is a s cation.

This invention relates-i to a method ojt and means for separating:g'fanular material containing pieces of different specific gggravi andhas special utility vvl on applied to separation ot coke troin clinher,in the recovery oi combustible matter tron coal ashes.

'lho general objects of the intention or to provide an improved methodct and n tor handlin screening and g'ra line; the

terial, and an improved h nlranlic clan.

by means 01'? which the graded material may he clas diedO1SEE1')II.2I.ie(l into its eoi'is'titirents of different specificgravity. in the case oi" coal ashes, these sei iiarated constitucnrcpresent the combustible and the incon usrihlc portions.

Other and more specific object-i will ap pear 'troni the following;description, and the novel Features will he pointed out in the appendedclaims.

In order that the principles underlying; the invention may he clearlyunderstood. reitcrence had to the accompanying; drawings, illustratingone arrangement oi apparatus by means of Which the invention may hecarried out, and. forming part oi. this liration. in these drawings 1--Figure 1 is a sectional elewitiou showing); my improved21.!1":IHQIQIHGIll) oi? separation tanli: and associated parts;

Figure 2 is a. plan View oi the some; "l igures J and 4t are enlargedrragrine,

spec:-

angles to each other, illustrating the details oil? my improv dhydraulic classifier and the method in which it operates;

Figure 5 is a plan View of a. plant a 'angcd tor reclahnin combustiblemat a from coal ashes, according to my improved method, and

Figures 6 and 7 are respectively end and side elevations of such aplant, some uni1nportant elements being omitted for the salre oiclearness.

Reference will first he had particularly to Figs. 1 to 4;, inclusive,and in improved hydraulic classifier itself will he explained.

1 this tank JEETE, ifl'UlEtllH CAROLINA.

in detail. As shown in these figures, I pro vide a ianlr l which. may heof any suitable suce, shape or construction, being illustnted h .e as ofrectangular shape, and provided with hopper bottom 2. Although. as willhereinafter appear it. is not ncce ssarv that he closed, it is shown inthe draw- :s provided with a tight top or cover 3. ttintl, loselythrough. this cover, or othersi ihly supported, is a. receptacle l i hconstitutes my hydraulic classifier,

proper. 'lhis receptacle is preferably in the term ot a. taperingcircular huclret and prov ded in the center of its bottom With all'(llllll' opening or orifice 5. it will be noted "hat this bucket. orreceptacle is relativclv all, it having een found in practice tlnitresults can he obtained from a. rece', t three or tour gallons c: pacity. The ml; 1 on the other hand is preferably 1 1 irel v large, forreasons which will herein utter a p pear.

'lhe receptacle 4: is, as above stated, supported above the tank in sucha Way that it; interior coninninicaites with. the interior of the tanlrthrough the opening); 5. ill the tank 1s entirely closed by means oi? ati ht fitting; top, the one requirement; is that the receptacle l hesupported by such top, so as to make a Water-tight joint. It, as will.hereinafter appear, the tank 1 is not entirely closed, the receptacle tshould be immersed in the tanl', as shown in the (lrawingrs to such anextent that its upper edge or rim (3 is below the upper edge oil? theopen portion. ot the tank. 7 i

The up ier ell-go or 12in]. oil? the recon tacle l; surrormdcd. by a.wall 7 whit i may be either circular, or rectangular as shown in hi top3 (it the tacit, an annular basin or launder. 'fllhis is provided at oneside with a. discharge trough oi. conduit 8 which, projects beyond theside of the tank and is arranged to deliver into asuitable box orcontainer 5).

'ure 2, such wall co] stitutine; with the ates, for the purpose ofcontinuously removing the solid material which collects in the bottom ofthe tank; Referring, therefore, particularly to Figures 1 and 3 it willbe noted that the wall 13 surrounding the opening 14% extends above thetop edge or rim 6 of the receptacle 4. Therefore, when water is pouredinto the receptacle hereinafter described it will be passed through theopening 5 and fill the tank, the water rising in both the tank and thereceptacle until the level reaches the point indicated by the line 16 inFigures 1 and 3, at which point, the water will begin to overflow thetop of the receptacle and escape through the trough granular form, is'fed to the classifier at a uniform rate, by means of a screw or otherconveyor 17, and is delivered by such con veyor, onto the surface of thewater in said receptacle, preferably substantially at the centerthereof. The end of the conveyor is disposed at a short distance abovethe surface of the water as shown in the drawings. In order to effectthe separation of the heavy and light particles constituting thematerial to be treated, I pour or cause to fall upon the surface of thewater in the receptacle 4, and preferably substantiall at the centerthereof, and at a point co-inciding with the point of delivery of thegranular material, a continuous steady stream of water as indicated at01. While this water may in some cases be delivered from an ordinarypipe, I have foundthat much better results are obtained Where the streamfalls, cascade fashion, from the end of a conduit, through which thewater flows very slowly and is comparatively quiet. To this end, Iprovide a relatively large trough 18, which may be either of rectangularor other section, and deliver into the distant end thereof water from asupply pipe 19, controlled by a valve 20'. By means of the valve therate of flow can be regulated as desired, and, since the trough 18 islarger than the pipe 19 and is substantially horizontal, the water flowsquietly and slowly through such trough, as indicated at w, pouring outof the end thereof, in the form of a solid quiescent stream, practicallyWithout air-bubbles. The conduits 17 and 18 for conveying the materialand water to the classifier, radiate from a common center, such centerbeing approximately the axis of the receptacle 4, and as shown in thedrawings these conduits are preferably disposed at substantially rightangles to each other. Owing to the relation of their delivery ends, itwill be seen that the material to be treated is discharged onto thesurface of the water in the receptacle substantially in the path of thestream of water falling from the trough 18.

In the drawings I have designated the lighter pieces by (a and theheavier pieces by b. As the falling stream of water .r strikes thesurface of the water at 1 and encounters the stream of material to betreated, the force of the falling water, acting with gravity, carriesthe heavier particles 1) straight downward through the receptacle anddischarges them throu h the orifice 5 in the bottom thereof, into t etank 1, while the lighter particles (I tend to become dcflcctod from avertical path and drift out toward the sides, where they are caught bythe upflowing water currents or cddics and carried over the rim of thereceptacle with the overflowing water, at 2, as indicated by the arrows.It will be understood that the momentum of the falling stream a" causesdcscending and more or less diverging currents in the central part ofthe receptacle 1-, and these currents are deflected by the bottom 4* anddirected upwardly along the sides of the receptacle. Looking at theaction from another view point, the bottom 4'" may be said to constitutean annular flange surrounding the orifice 5 and serving as a bafile todeflect the currents. The lighter material a which passes over the rimof the receptacle with the water, is caught in the surrounding basin orlaunder and discharged through the trough 8 into the box 9. Here thewater is separated and the rum terial carried away by the conveyor 12.The heavier material 12 passing downwardly through the opening 5,settles to the bottom of the tank 1 and is carried away by the conveyor15.

In order to insure an absolutely uniform flow of water through thetrough 18. the pipe 19 through which such water is supplied, leads froman elevated reservoir 21, in which the water is maintained at a cowstant level. 22 designates a pipe through which water under pressure issupplied to such reservoir, and the end of this pipe is provided with afloat operated valve 23. In this way the reservoir is kc )t tilled to adclinite level, and a constant head for forcin water through the pipe 19thus maintainer The above described method and apparatus is particularlyefficient in separating partially cokcd coal from the clinker orincombustible material found in coal ashes. The fine ash having beenremoved. and the remaining mixture of coke and clinker having beengraded, as hereinafter described, into portions of substantially uniformsize, such material is fed to the classifier. The coke. which must be ina substantially dry state. is so light that much of it immediatelyfloats off, upon striking the surface of the water. The rest of it, iscarried downward into the water to a greater or less depth, indi catedin Figs. 3 and i, and then passes upward and over the edge 01' thereceptacle, while the clinker and other more or less silicious materialescapes through. the opening 5 into the tank. I have found that with thevarious parts properly proportioned and adjiiisted, not more than F ooil. the coke will. find its way down through the opening ii, theremaining 95% being carried over the edge, and recovered.

Vl hile the size of the stream of water, and the height of the trough 18above the reoeptacle, as well as the rate oi delivery oi. the materialto be treated, will lorry under dilierent conditions, I have found thata height tl rorn ten to lilteen inches above the receptacle gives goodresults. By way oil? exan'iple, I may state that I have produced verysatisfactory separation by feeding the mixture or coke and clinl or intothe separator at about the rate or two tons an hour, while at the sametime employing a stream oil water running; approximately twenty nullensa minute. As above stated, these ligures are illustrative only and varybetween wide limits in, accordance with the iuture and sine oi thegranular material.

While, of course, the above described method and apparatus forseparating or claW Fyinp; granular material in no so so limited for usein connection with coal ashes, still l have :lound it especiallyapplicable for such a purpose, and in Figures .3, (3 and 7, I haveillustrated more or less conventionally a convenient and novel systernfor recovering combustible matter from the coal ashes in accordance withthe above (ileziicribed method.

Referring to these figures, it will be seen that I have illustrated ashed under which. the necessary apparatus is housed, such apparatusincluding the elevated reservoir Q'l. As hereinafter described, a seriesof washers or hydraulic classifiers is ein iloyed, and the waste pipe 11from each olf these washers is counectiul with a common pipe whichdelivers into a settling basin 2ft. The water accumulating in this basinreturned by means of a pump and pipe 26 to the elevoted reservoir 21, tohe used over again. In this way the water supply is conserved.

An elevated track 30 is provided extend ing; from the ash shed or otherdump, and on this track runs a car 31, prelerebly ol" the side-dumpvariety, which adapted to deliver the ashes, as they come from the ashpit, into a hopper, 32. From the hopper 5:39;, the ashes move by gravityinto one end of a long rotary screen As clearly shown in Fig. 5, thisscreen is made up of a number oil: sections 0, d, e and f of graduallyincreasing mesh. The first section 0 is very line, preferablyapproximately and the line ash and dust which passes through thissection is collected in a hopper C, from which it may be drav-rn througha suitable chute 38 and disposed of in any desired manner. In many casit is found that this line dust contains a high percentage oi?conibustible matter and may be advantageously again fed to the stolrers.The sections d, c and f of the screen are pr "erably of {1 and ll mesh,respectively, and the material passing; through these sections iscollected, respectively, in hoppers D, E and F. The materialcon'lprisinp; pieces over 11; in size, which pass out of the rigltithand end oi? the screen as seen Figure 5, may be delivered upon atraveling belt or apron ill, and the material moves along on this beltit may be llZlllClfplClL-ftll to remove the clinker. The screen may berotated by means of a belt passing over a pulley 34 on the screen shall,and another pulley 36 on a power shalt running; lens, hwise ol the shedand driven by any suitable means.

The material in each oil the three hoppers l), E and l? is, thereto a,made up Oil pi ea or particles oil" substantially uniform size. Thismaterial is carried from the llflppfllfa to corresponding elevated binsI), l and ll", by means of conveyors 31). 'llhese con veyors pass overpulleys mounted on a sha'lt -i-l0 drive 1 by a belt all from the powershaft 36. It will be noted that the bin l i s shown as considerablylarger than the other two, and this due to the fact that the material.made up oi. inch and a hall? pieces is considerably more bull zy than.the lii'ier material.

From each bin extends a screw or other conveyor to a hydraulicclassifier, such as shown in detail in, ll i i 1 to 4-, and thereclaimed coke or combos ible material collected from the bores may beconveyed to bunkers and led again to the stokers, either alone or mixedwith fresh fuel. the incombustible silicious n'iaterial or clinker ispractically lirce iron'i combustible matter and may be conveyed from thebottom ol the tanks 1 to suitable depo itories and eurployedadvantageously :l'or various purposes, such. as the making, oilconcrete.

in addition to operating upon ashes taken directly from the ash pit, llalso contemplate reclaiming combustible material from old ash dumps. Inthis case. however, it will be necessary to first dry the material.

lvly improved method, therefore, so far as the treatment of ashes isconcerned, is to first screen out the line dust and "then grade theremaining material into unii orm pow tions o'l' different sizes, beforefeeding); it to the classifiers. To get the best i suits, this materialmust be fed to the classifiers in a substantially dry condition.

It will, therefore, be seen that l have de vised an improwd method andapparatus for separatir ranular material containing pieces of differentspecific gravity by means of a hydraulic classifier, and it is thoughtthat the many advantages of my invention will be readily appreciated bythose familiar with such matters, without further discussion. 7

What I claim is:

1. The hereindescribed method of separating granular material containingpieces of different specific gravity, which comprises feeding suchmaterial at a uniform rate into a receptacle having an unobstructedopening in its bottom, and maintained full of Water, and at the sametime continuously pouring upon the free surface of the water in suchreceptacle immediately above the opening a uniform stream of water, inthe form of a cataract, whereby the water overflowing the brim of thereceptacle is caused to carry with it the lighter pieces, while theheavier pieces pass c0ntinnously downward through the opening in thebottom of the receptacle.

The hereindescribed method of sepaating granular material containingpieces of different specific gravity, which comprises causing a steadystream of water to fall from a predetermined height into a receptaclehaving an unobstructed opening in its bottom, but maintained full ofwater, and feeding the material at a uniform rate upon the free surfa eof the water in such receptacle substantially in the path of the fallingWater, whereby the lighter material is carried away by the wateroverflowing the upper edge of the receptacle, and the heavier piecesconstantly escape through the opening in the bottom.

3. The hereindescribed method of separating granular material containingpieces of different specific gravity, which comprises providing areceptacle having an unobstructed opening in its bottom but maintainedfull of water, and continuously causing to fall upon the surface of thewater in said receptacle simultaneously and at substantially the samepoint a steady stream of the material to be treated, and a constantstream of water. whereby the heavier pieces are expelled through theopening in the bottom. and the lighter pieces are carried over the edgeof the receptacle by the water.

4. The hereindescribed method of sepa rating granular materialcontaining pieces of different specific gravity, which} comprisesproviding a circular receptacle having an unobstructed central openingin its bottom, but maintained full of water, and continuously causing tofall upon the surface of the water in such receptacle simultaneously andat substantially the same point a steady stream of the material to betreated, and a constant stream of water, whereby the heavier pieces areexpelled through the opening in the bottom, and the lighter pieces arecarried over the edge of the receptacle by the water.

5. The hereindescribed method of separating granular material containingpieces of different specific gravity, which comprises providing acircular, downwardly tapering receptacle having at its small end abottom provided with a central opening, maintaining such receptacle fullof water, and continuously causing to fall upon the surface of the waterin said receptacle simultaneously and at substantially the same point asteady stream of the material to he treated, and a constant stream ofwater, whereby the heavier pieces are expelled through the opening inthe bottom, and the lighter pieces are carried over the edge of thereceptacle by the water.

6. The hereindescribed method ofseparating granular material containingpieces of different specific gravity, which comprises causing aquiescent. solid stream of water to fall from a predetermined heightinto a receptacle having an unobstructed opening in its bottom, butmaintained full of water, and feeding the material at a uniform rateonto the surface of the water in such receptacle substantially in thepath of the stream of falling water, whereby the lighter pieces arecarried over the edge of the receptacle with the overflowing water,while the heavier pieces escape through the opening in the bottom.

7. The hereindescribed method of separating granular material containingpieces of different specific gravity, which comprises feeding thematerial at a uniform rate onto the surface of the water in a receptaclemaintained full of water but provided with an unobstructed opening inits bottom, and delivering a steady stream of water into the top of saidreceptacle in such manner as to create currents tending to cause thelighter pieces to be carried out over the brim of the receptacle. whilethe heavier pieces are constantly discharged through the opening in thebottom.

8. The hcrcindescribed method of separating coke from clinker whichcomprises causing a steady stream of water to fall from a predeterminedheight into a receptacle having an unobstructed opening in its bottom,but maintained full of water. and feeding the mixture of coke andclinker in a dry state and at a uniform rate into the to of suchreceptacle substantially in the patli of the falling water, whereby thecoke floats or is carried over the edge of the receptacle by theoverflowing water, while the clinker passes downwardly and escapesthrough the opening in the bottom.

9. The hereindescribed method of recovering combustible matter from coalashes which consists. first, in removing the fine ash from the mass;second, dividing the re- Ill) ' binaticn with a receptacle l1W11suiting; granular material comprisin coke and clinker into graded sizes;third, tteeding; each uni'l'orni rade of mixed coke and clinker at a unterm rate into the top of a receptacle having an l'lllOllSlIl'llCllBCl.opening; in. its bottom but maintained full of water; tliii'ii'l'h,cam-ling a steady stream of water to tall from. a predetermined heightinto said receptacle in such manner as to create currents tending tocause the colre to be carried out over the brim oit' the receptaclewhile the cliinlrer is constantly discharged through the opening; in thebottom.

1.0. A lriulraulic classifier con'iiprising a receptacle having a bottomprovided with a central unobstructed opening, a tanlr over which s-iaid.receptacle supported, means forming a conduit extending from the iunnered rc oi laid eceptacle to a. point beyondthe side walls of said tanl t,means l or feeding into the top oi saidreceptacle at a pointinrniediately above the central openinn; in the bottom thereoit waterand the i'naterial to be clas. lied, and means for causing" water tocontiniiously overflow the said. upper ed gc oi said receptacle into rid'-ondiiiit.

11. it hydraulic clas tier comprisinga receptacIe haying," a botcentralopening, a taifi; er which. said. receptacle is supported;,iimns 'lorconstantly 'leediinr into the top of said rereptacl i at a pointimmediately above the centralopening in. the bottom thereof, water andthe material to be clasiziiiied, and means tor maintain inn said tanktilled. with water up to a level above the upper edge o'lf' saidreceptacle,

.wherchy water continuously oyeiritlows 'Sl'lGll edge.

if]. it. hydraulic clussi'lie', comprising a, receptacle hayinn; anuimbstructed opening in its bottom. a tank of water in which the bottomoi" said receptacle is immersed, means tor preventing: the water in thetank from on veloping the upper edge ot sai d recci'itintle, .uicans torrontinuously tear ur into the top of said receptacle water and thematerial. to be classified so that a. mixture of water and nmtcrialoverlilows said upper edge, and means :lior directing; thi (l'VCITflOWinto a suitable coi'itainer.

13. A. hydraulic classifier comprising a i.'e .:eptacle having anunobstructed opening in its bottom, a tank over which said receptacle ismounted. and with which it coin- .municates through the top oil? saidopening, an annular basin surrounc. no; the tumor ei'lc e of saidreceptacle, and se iiaratingr it from. the interior oil't said. tank.means tor continuously feeding: into said receptacle water and. thematerial to be classified, and means tor causing part of: such material,mixed with water, to overflow said tree upper ochre ot the receptacleinto said basin.

14. In a lnrdraulic classifi r the coinn. provided with a,

an. opening in its bottom, of: means for continuously feeding into thetop oli said receptacle water and the material to be classified, an opentank in, which said receptacle is immersed, means for maintaining thewater level in said tank above the upper edge of said receptacle,whereby water constantly overt-lows such upper edge, carrying; with itpart of such material, while another part passes downwardly through saidopening into said tank, and means for contiuiunisly reinorii'ig' suchmaterial from said tank.

15. In a hydraulic classifier the combina tion with. a receptaclehaving; an opening in its bottom, of means :li'or continuously teed.-ing into the top of said receptacle water and the n'iatcrial to be classtied, a tank with which said receptacle communicates through saidopening, means for causing, the lighter portion oi"? such material,mixed with water, to overflow the upper 0( e oil. said receptacle, whilethe heavier po1t1on passes downwardly through such opening into saidtanlr, and means "For continumisly removing such heavier material fromsaid tanl t.

1.6. A hydraulic classifier coinprisingi; a circular receptacle having:a restricted unobstructed central opening; in its bottoiin, a tank withwhich said receptacle directly ('OIDHIHHlCltQF-l through said opening,means preventiinr contact oi? the upper edge oi said receptacle with thecontents of said tank, and means for leetflinp; water and material intothe top of said rece itacle and cansing the mixture to overflow thesaid. upper edge thereof.

A. hydraulic classifier ron'iprisingr a 18. A. hydraulic classifiercomprisuigr a circular receptacle provided with an internal annularflange forming; a restricted passage way, a tank with which saidreceptacle directly communicates through. said passage way, and meansfor feeding; water and material. into the top o'l. said receptacle andcans inn' the mixture to overflow the upper ed re thereol".

19. A hydraulic classifier coniprisiiur a receptacle having an.unobstructed. hut res cted opening; in its bottom, an annular luisin.surroundiin; the upper portion of said receptacle, the upper edge ofsaid receptacle projecting above the bottom of said basin, tank overwhich said receptacle and basin are supported in such position that theupper edge of the receptacle is below the upper edge of the tank, andmeans for teedii'igr water and material to be separ ted into the top ofsaid receptacle and cans a part of the mixture to overflow the upperedge thereof.

20. A hydraulic classifier comprising a receptacle having a flangeprojecting inwardly from the side walls thereof, such flangeconstituting a bottom or closure with an opening therein. a tank withwhich said receptacle directly communicates through said opening, saidreceptacle and tank being filled with water, and means for continuouslyand simultaneously causing to fall upon the surface of the water in saidreceptacle at a point immediately above said opening, a. stream ofwater, and a separate stream of material to be classified, whereby theheavier pieces pass downwardly through said opening, while the lighterportions are deflected up- Wardly by said flange and caused to flow,with the water, over the upper edge of the receptacle. 7

21. In a hydraulic classifier, the combination with a receptacle, andmeans for feedously and simultaneously causing to fall upon the surfaceof the Water in said receptacle a stream of water and a separate streamof the material to be classified, in such manner that the lighterpieces, mixed with water, overflow the top of the receptacle, while theheavier pieces pass through said opening into the tank.

23. A hydraulic classifier comprising a separating receptacle maintainedfull of water and having a bottom provided with an opening, means forfeeding at a uniform rate on to the surface of the water in saidreceptacle the material to be separated. and means for constantlypouring a steady stream of water onto the surface of the water in saidreceptacle at a point immediately above the opening in the bottomthereof.

24. A hydraulic classifier com rising a separating receptacle maintainefull of water and having a bottom provided with an opening, means forpouring u on the surface of the water in said receptac e two constantstreams, one of water, and the other of the material to be separated,said two streams co-inciding, where they strike'the surface of thewater, at a oint immediately above the opening in the ttom of thereceptacle.

25. A hydraulic ,classifier comprising a circular receptacle tained fullof water but having a cen opening in its bottom, and two conduits abovethe top of said receptacle and adapted to pour upon the free surface ofthe water therein two separate streams, one of water, the other of thematerial to be. classified. said conduits radiating from the axis ofsaid receptacle.

In testimony whereof I aflix my signature.

BARTLETT BOLLING, J n.

